‘Spatial Resolution’ describes the resolving power of any image-forming device and is expressed in a number of independent pixel values per unit of length. It is defined through various criteria such as the geometric properties of the imaging system and its ability to distinguish between target points. It depends on the properties of the system creating the image and not just the image resolution in pixels. For practical purposes, the clarity of the image is decided by its spatial resolution, and not the number of pixels in an image.
For example, the Nintendo Wii remote controller, active laser range finders, and standard CMOS sensors are some commonly known systems used for spatial resolution and image recognition.
Nintendo Wii remote controllers or the Nintendo Wii remote systems are widely video game peripheral devices used to find the orientation information of a receiver in video games. The target locater in these video games is generally attached to a base. These systems use a series of infrared emitters spaced apart at fixed distances. These emitters are detected by a simple planar array to provide a pointing capability for navigation of menus on a video monitor to which the Wii is connected. However, these devices have limitations, and can be easily damaged because of their bulky size. Further, the cost associated with these devices can be very high.
Active laser range finders use reflected energy of a laser that is placed at a known distance from the receiving sensor to determine the distance of a reflecting reference point.
A standard CMOS sensor, such as those typically found in webcams or cellular phones, are used to calculate the location of maximum energy of a requisite co-ordinate. This maximum energy location will appear as a dot that is brightest at a specific X and Y location on a matrix. The receiver could adjust its sensor's available onboard image processor settings to enhance easy detection of this dot. However, the standard CMOS sensor is susceptible to noise.
The limitations of the existing systems are not only that they provide limited abilities to resolve simple spatial orientations, but also, they are costly, bulky, require a large amount of processing power and use complex circuitry for operation. As a result the device has a limited angle range for detection.
In light of the foregoing discussion, there is a need for a simple method and system of rapidly detecting complete free space orientation of a receiving device, at high speed using simple circuitry and optics, and without consuming a lot of processing power.